


Just Out Of Reach

by preludeoflight



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Sad, Season/Series 02 Spoilers, There's lots of crying everyone cries, first time writing these kids so be gentle, hi i'm here to cope with season 2 by writing sads, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 10:16:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9435773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preludeoflight/pseuds/preludeoflight
Summary: [ CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE END OF SEASON 2 ]No one takes losing a loved one easily.No one.





	

**Author's Note:**

> yo hey so how about that ending. pretty wack right.  
> just kidding i cried.
> 
> After Season 2 'Blackout': Alternate Reality/Plane Theory. Shiro's alive but on a different plane of existence or alternate reality, can see the paladins but can't interact, and paladins can't see him. Sadness ensues.

_"He's... gone."_

  
Even though Keith was the first to speak those words, he would be one of the last to fully accept them. He and the others scoured every inch of the Black Lion's cockpit, but there was nothing. No impressions left in the seat, no paladin armor, not even Shiro's smell remained. The cockpit was cold, not a single sign of their leader's presence remained. Keith couldn't breathe, he stumbled back but Lance pushed forward past him, his hands scrambled over the seat.

  
_"Shiro?! HEY, SHIRO! THIS BETTER NOT BE SOME JOKE!"_

  
Keith had never seen that much fear in Lance, he was used to the stretched faces of panic Lance made whenever things didn't go his way. But to see how wide his eyes got, how erratic he was around the small space, made even smaller by the four of them there, was so jarring it left Keith in a standstill.

  
_"Shiro...?"_

  
It was Hunk who spoke next, an uncharacteristically small voice for how big his presence was. The single word was so soft, Keith almost didn't hear it. Hunk followed after Lance, only repeating the same word over and over, it hung in the air like a cloud and only grew heavier with each second. Both of them checked over and over, Lance's angered shouts followed by Hunk's softer sobs.  
Pidge was the only one to remain utterly silent at the whole thing, fists clenched at her sides. On any other occasion, Keith would've admired someone like that, able to keep composed under this much pressure. He even envied Pidge right at that moment. He stepped aside to give Pidge some space just in case, and wiped his own eyes. He'd begun crying and not even noticed, the tears streamed down his cheeks in silence.  
Keith wanted to rage just like Lance, to scream and kick the control panel, to shake the chair and beg Shiro to come back, to demand the Black Lion give them any answers at all. But his body wouldn't move, his feet were cemented in place as his tears rolled off his chin and fell to the cold floor.

  
_"He's g... gone..."_   The words left his mouth again and even he could hear how much they shook.

 

_"DAMMIT! HE CAN'T LEAVE US!"_

Lance's voice resounded again, he slammed a fist onto the console and emitted a dull thud. No lights, no roar, no beeping, nothing. It was like something had ripped the very soul out of the Black Lion. Keith could hear Allura and Coran over the comms system, both of them fired rapid questions as to what was the matter.

  
_"Tell us what happened! Why is Shiro not responding?"_

  
Allura had the only calm voice over the headsets, again Keith's jealousy spiked. Lance stood back up, face a mess of angry tears while Hunk had slumped into Shiro's seat and buried his face in his hands. The Yellow Paladin's entire body shook as he wept and Lance set a hand upon his shoulder, tried to comfort him with some quiet words.

  
_"... Shiro's gone, Allura."_

  
It was Pidge who replied, her visor had darkened after Lance's last yell and she kept her gaze on a different part of the cockpit entirely, unable to look at her teammates in grief. The other end was absolute silence, no doubt the Alteans were stunned. She was the first one to leave the Black Lion and walk towards the castle bridge. Lance and Hunk followed suit, Hunk such a sobbing mess that the inside of his helmet had fogged up from all the tears. Lance kept his furious eyes locked onto Pidge in front of him and helped Hunk to the outside, but Keith still stared at Shiro's chair.

_"We'll find you. **I'll** find you. I can promise that, no matter **what** happens."_

 

\---

Shiro had woken up to throbbing pain before, but nothing was quite as intense as _this._

  
He struggled to move about, a great pressure was closing all around him like the vice grip of some immense hand. It squeezed and squeezed until he was certain he'd burst like a bubble, and just as he thought he would his eyes snapped open.  
First all he saw was a hazy purple-black, and as he took deeper breaths his vision cleared. Tiny dots glimmered far far above, and it wasn't until he managed to pull himself up to a sitting position did he realize just where he was; The Mindscape.

Almost immediately flashbacks replayed of his intense battle with Zarkon for the Black Lion's bond, and Shiro clutched his side where he had been thrown. The wound was healed certainly, but he could still feel the phantom throb of pain from it. A purple glimmer coated his body and he saw a slight reflection of himself in the ground, dizziness started to cloud his head. Was he standing on glass, or something else? He scanned the horizon and stood up slowly, sucked in sharp breaths once his weight shifted and finally he managed to pull himself upright. Shiro almost expected Zarkon to be there, menacing scowl and all, ready for another round.

But he was alone this time, and a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that not even his Black Lion was there with him. Being completely by himself never brought him good things, his senses were so finely tuned to other presences, always knowing where others were in relation to him if it meant a fight would break out. But lately these senses had changed ever so slightly, as he now had to know where his teammates were, had to guard their blind sides and maneuver around them for a tactical advantage, not to mention forming Voltron.

  
"Patience yields focus." he sighed to himself, taking comfort in the mantra. If he was back here in the Mindscape, was the Black Lion pulling something? He remembered Zarkon in that powered up state, he had grabbed the head of Voltron and the two had slammed together, Shiro had felt both of them collide not just physically but mentally as well, equivalent to getting thrown through seven brick walls. His shoulders slouched as his body recalled the pain, and the dull throb came back full force.  
After that, there was nothing but darkness. Shiro closed his eyes and focused, desperate for anything else in his memory that would give him a single clue as to why he was here.

As he searched his ears began to ring, but he gritted his teeth and pushed harder, the ringing increased in pitch as he went. What had happened after that impact? He concentrated so fiercely he could feel sweat roll down his temples, the ringing got louder and louder until Shiro couldn't stand it any longer and his eyes flew open.  
The purple landscape had vanished, he was back in the Black Lion's cockpit now, albeit behind his chair. The systems were off and the eyes were dark, he couldn't see outside. Had he just never left, like before?

  
"You know, one day you're going to really scare me with that." Shiro chuckled to his Lion and reached over to pat one of the consoles, only for his hand to phase right through it. "What the...?" he gasped and pulled his hand back in a flash. His hand still had that purple glow, it outlined every one of his fingers even. As Shiro looked himself over he noticed the rest of his body had it too, and he was... floating. Potentially three inches off the ground but still, this revelation was jarring.

In an instant, fear seized him. No, this was _impossible_. This couldn't be the Black Lion's doing, because nothing like this had happened before. His mind raced for some solution as he reached out to touch the wall panel again, and again his fingers simply passed into it. The metal was cold, Shiro tried wriggling his fingers and there was no warmth behind it like usual. He wasn't corporeal, he was floating... was he a ghost?  
"No." he spoke the word aloud, and an uncertain laugh followed it.

"That's... that can't be true." His words had a slight reverb to them, more than what should be possible for his cockpit. As he began to gather himself Shiro reached for his chair for stability but his arms went into it and instead the momentum caused him to slowly somersault in mid-air. "Team?!" he yelled and hurried to turn himself upright in case of an attack. There was no response. The outside of the Black Lion was deathly quiet, Shiro's senses were on high alert. Were there Galra perched outside in wait with blasters at the ready? Or had he passed out from the fight and the other Paladins had pushed him back to the safety of the castle?

 

He stared ahead at the window and braced himself, he wouldn't stay in his cockpit forever and he had to know what was going on. Shiro backpedaled and activated his right hand, the glow around it only brightened the purple-white light. Sparks flew as he reached towards his chair, concentrating all he could on touching its sleek surface, on feeling the cool metal underneath, until finally his fingers felt something solid.  
"Yes!" he cheered in triumph, relief washed over him and a grin spread across his face. The balance of energy was delicate from his hand, or else the chair would melt into steel goo and his plan would fail. Shiro pulled himself back and with a grunt, heaved forward with all his might (and some help from his thrusters) with a tucked head. His body passed right through the screen like a droplet entering water, and Shiro looked up only to see the Castleship's interior fly by him. Stopping was the next cruical step.

  
He outstretched his right hand and it hit one of the walls of a hallway, the metal underneath crackled and burned upon contact but Shiro managed to bring himself to a halt while his thrusters went into reverse. He pulled his hand off and let it power down, turned to his handprint upon the wall and gave a chuckle. Coran certainly wouldn't be happy if he saw that.

 

_"Please, now is not the time to be turning on one another!"_

  
Allura's voice cut across the silence, Shiro turned and used his handprint to push off, and the thrusters helped propel him through an open archway towards the Princess' voice. It was slightly warped and muffled to his ears, like Allura had one of those doctor masks on and yet still spoke underwater. As he got closer, other voices chimed in, all with the same warped effect.

  
_"YOU could've been there faster! **You're** the hotshot pilot!"_

  
Lance's was next, Shiro had rounded the corner towards the bridge of the Castle just in time to see what was left of Voltron. His heart plummeted.

Allura and Coran stood in front of the bridge's center, both of their eyes puffed red from tears. Pidge was between them, her head lowered to obscure whatever expression she made. Hunk's shoulders were so hunched he looked positively tiny. Lance held Keith by the lapels of his jacket and sported a furiously bleeding nose, while Keith scowled back at him with a bruise that covered his left cheek. Both of their eyes were aflame and their clothes disheveled, Lance's jacket was now in Hunk's arms and Hunk's entire face was dripping with tears.

  
_"You guys can't fight, not now! Shiro... wouldn't have wanted this!"_

  
His voice broke upon Shiro's name and Shiro's eyes widened in shock. Lance opened his mouth to speak but failed to get words out before Keith's fist uppercut into his jaw and send the other teen back in a sprawl so Keith was freed.

  
_"If we're gonna play the blame game, then don't pin it all on me! You're **equally** responsible, you're a no good shot!"_

  
Keith's rage was in full force and Lance spat something from his mouth and growled. As he straightened himself to return the blow Hunk ran inbetween them and extended both arms, Lance's jacket held back out towards its owner.

  
_"Seriously, stop it! Hurting each other isn't solving anything!"_  
_"Keith's the one that threw the first punch!"_  
_"Don't be so childish! If you had bothered to actually focus, Shiro would still be here!"_  
_"I was focusing! I bet you just wanted to hog all the glory to yourself by stabbing Zarkon!"_

  
The trio devolved into furious shouting, each one talked over the other to get their point across, voices constantly rising the louder the other got until the Green Paladin stepped forward.

 

_"ALL OF YOU, **SHUT THE HELL UP!** "_

 

Pidge's scream halted all three boys, even Allura and Coran stepped back in shock. Shiro slowly floated forward and held in his tears as silence fell over the entire group.

  
"I'm here! I'M RIGHT HERE!" he yelled, the echo to his voice bounced off of the bridge's glass walls and high ceiling with the added silence. "YOU GUYS! **I'M HERE!"**

  
But their Leader's words never made it. Shiro boosted forward and reached out for Lance's jacket, but still his fingers slipped through the fabric. He grunted in frustration and tried again with his right, activating the Galra tech within but even still, he couldn't even touch the zipper.  
"I'm here! I'm right in front of you guys!" Shiro continued desperately, a wild panic to his eyes as he grabbed at Keith's shoulder, but the Red Paladin was smoke between his fingers. He tried the same with Hunk, Lance, and Pidge in turn, but their eyes did not see him and his voice did not reach them. Shiro's boosters turned off and he slowly floated backwards, a weight on his chest so heavy he felt like he was drowning, tears even blurred his vision.

"I'm here... I'm right here..." his voice cracked and shattered like his heart.  
Was this how easily Voltron fell apart?

 

_"... Pidge, you don't have to -- "_  
_"I said SHUT THE HELL UP! Look at yourselves, you're all idiots!"_

  
Pidge cut off Lance before he could say anything more, her hands clenched into small fists.

  
_"Can you even believe yourselves right now?! We have a universe to defend, and you all are such blind idiots you can't even see that! Hunk's right, Shiro... Shiro wouldn't have wanted this stupid infighting!"_

  
Her shoulders shook but her voice remained firm, even as tears poured from behind her glasses.

  
_"Shiro's gone, but that doesn't mean he's dead. If he's dead then... then we would've seen a body, right? But the Black Lion's cockpit was just empty."_

  
The others began to nod along very slowly, Lance took his jacket back from Hunk and pulled it on. Shiro heard the analytical tone Pidge saved for tech talk start to slip in, the one that made her sound so brilliant and bright to the rest of the team, even if none of them truly knew what she talked about. The weight within him crushed even more.

  
_"Well, I don't think Shiro just vanished like a Houdini trick. I'm more inclined to believe that after Zarkon smashed into us head on, quite literally, something else just... poofed Shiro away."_  
_"... 'Poofed'? Really? That's the word you're going to use?"_  
_"Shut up, Lance. I'd like to see you try better."_

 

Shiro gave an automatic chuckle, but none of the others laughed. Their hollow silence as Pidge continued her theory only grew, and Shiro managed to pull himself into a cross legged sitting position as he floated. A smile finally broke through his tears and he raised a hand to wipe some away. Perhaps Voltron wasn't done for after all.

  
_"... So, we just need to find where Shiro 'poofed' to?"_  
_"Well, that's all we have to go on, unless you have any other ideas."_  
_"Honestly, that's the best one we've got."_

  
Pidge managed a small smile Keith's way, and Keith did his best to return it. Hunk blew his nose into a handkerchief Coran had provided, and even Lance's infuriated glare softened until he gave his trademark cocky grin. Allura set a soft hand on Pidge's shoulder and gave a proud smile.

  
_"That sounds like a brilliant idea, Pidge. It is always good to have hope, even in the most desperate of times."_  
_"I couldn't agree more, Princess! Although, I don't know where we'll start. But Pidge is our genius, she'll think of something!"_  
_"Thanks. I'm glad you have faith, Coran."_

 

As their Leader watched them all, the weight on himself became too much to hold in any longer, and he let himself cry. Whether they were tears of joy or of pain, not even Shiro knew. He watched them drop towards the floor and then fizzle away into purple light.

 

  
"I'll always be here. Until you find me."


End file.
